Supermodel Anok Yai Reveals Hidden Congenital Defect That Was Destroying Her Lungs - Left Her Gasping for Breath

Supermodel Anok Yai has revealed a serious health diagnosis that she says was "overworking" her heart and "slowly destroying" her lungs. The 28-year-old Model of the Year shared a post on social media

detailing her “silent” health battle as she revealed a congenital lung defect. "For the past year, I've been dealing with this silent battle," she began the lengthy caption on Instagram. "I incidentally found out I had a congenital defect overworking my heart and slowly destroying my lungs," Yai wrote. Yai shared pictures and videos of herself resting in a hospital bed at New York University Langone Health in New York City, reading books and inhaling from an oxygen machine as she recovered from surgery.

What led to Yai’s diagnosis?

In the post, Yai revealed that a lingering cough, which slowly became painful along with breathlessness, sent her to the doctor for a detailed check-up. After detailed investigations, Yai was given her diagnosis “What started as something asymptomatic for the majority of my life turned into a lingering cough, which turned to chest pains, bouts of coughing up blood, then at times, struggling to breathe,” Yai continued. “I chose to work through this while trying to find the right doctor and the right time,” she wrote. “I quickly realized there was never going to be a right time -my health would continue to worsen”.

Yai underwent lung surgery

Yai also revealed she underwent robotic lung surgery - a minimally invasive lung operation technique that utilizes small incisions and a robotic system to perform the surgery. “I've always thought I could outwork or outrun anything,” she added, “but the universe has a way of slowing you down and waking you up”.

What is a congenital lung defect?

Also known as congenital lung anomalies, the condition is present in adults because it is often symptomatic in childhood or at a younger age. Doctors say they have unique symptoms that usually mimic other thoracic pathologies and may present acutely and require urgent evaluation. While misdiagnosis is common, congenital diseases like cystic adenomatoid malformation, sequestration, congenital lobar emphysema, and bronchogenic cysts can be misdiagnosed.

What are the different congenital lung disorders?

A few types of congenital lung disorders include:

Bronchogenic cysts

These usually develop in the bronchi, trachea, or the lower lobes of the lungs. They can compromise the respiratory tract if they become infected or get too large.

Congenital cyst

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations, or CCAMs, occur when a baby's lung tissue grows larger than usual. They can lead to cysts filled with fluid or solid masses in the lungs, which can also impair the alveoli's functions.

Lobar emphysema

Lobar emphysema is a rare and severe condition that disrupts airflow during breathing. It can cause over-inflation of the lung lobes.

Signs and symptoms of congenital lung disease

A few signs and symptoms of congenital lung disease include:

• Rapid or shallow breathing
• Painful or difficult breathing
• Breathlessness or wheezing
• Recurrent pneumonia

Problems with congenital lung conditions depend on the severity and location. Smaller cysts may have no effect, while larger cysts may be fatal.